The words luxury and fitness rarely are mentioned in the same sentence however I was able to find one luxurious product that can contribute to your overall health and wellbeing.

That one product that I have a strong liking for is dark chocolate.  The stronger the better. At least 70% cocoa or better.   I often crave dark chocolate, especially when I am feeling run down.  When you look at the nutritional profile and the research into the health benefits of dark chocolate, it is easy to see why good quality dark chocolate is so good for you.

70% or better dark chocolate that contains the following nutritional benefits:

• 67% of your recommended daily intake of Iron.
• 58% of your recommended daily intake of Magnesium.
• 89% of your recommended daily intake of Copper.
• 98% of your recommended daily intake of Manganese.

Good quality dark chocolate also contains high levels of potassium, phosphorus, zinc, selenium and fibre and is also loaded with antioxidants.

Research has also shown that dark chocolate can lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol levels along with reducing insulin resistance.  Reducing insulin resistance is essential for assisting with weight loss, maintaining healthy weight and reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Furthermore observational studies have also shown that regular consumption of dark chocolate is essential for reducing risk factors for heart disease.

Have you ever felt more alert after eating dark chocolate?  Dark chocolate contains small amounts of stimulants like caffeine and theobromine which can help improve short term brain function.

My take home points on dark chocolate are as follows:

• Choose good quality dark chocolate – 70% or better.
• Check the sugar content on the nutrition information panel
• Evidence suggests good quality dark chocolate appears to have numerous health benefits
• The high nutrition content isn’t a licence to over-indulge.

Below are some dark chocolate recipes from my website I’ve created.
Enjoy.

Dark chocolate bites (https://www.nickhallbodytransformations.com/low-carb-gluten-free-chocolate-bites)

Sources:

http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/10638/2

http://journal.chemistrycentral.com/content/5/1/5

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17513403

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11684527

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16505260/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20858571